So Far Away
by xXBalorBabeXx
Summary: What if Zack hadn't died the night Chelsea was driving?


The small 5 year old remained physically unharmed, his mental state was another matter… and it was pure luck.

Little Zack Brady was alive… and he had his 13 year old protector to thank for that… but Kylianna was heavily bruised, bleeding and deep into unconsciousness and Zack couldn't wake her up, despite shaking her with his tiny hands. He unzipped his small jacket, about to put it on her to keep her warm like his daddy and mommy taught him to whenever someone was hurt and cold when he heard a car pull up and a door open, turning to see Hope.

"Mama!" The terrified child cried as Hope ran to him, crouching down and pulling him into her arms.

"Baby, are you okay?!" Hope asked frantically.

"I'm okay, Auntie Ky saved me." Zack says as they let go, Zack kneeling down and resting his right hand on Kylianna's face. "Mama, she's freezing!" He says as Hope pulled her coat off, putting it on Kylianna.

"We're gonna keep her warm until the paramedics get here, kiddo." Hope says comfortingly while dialing 911.

Zack pressed his little head to Kylianna's, tears running down his face as if he was silently praying that she'd wake up… and let him know everything would be okay. A small flutter of Kylianna's fingers on her right hand was Zack and Hope's response and both breathed relieved sighs, Hope taking Kylianna's hand into her own and rubbing her arm.

' _You saved my baby boy… and I'll never forget that.'_ Hope thought as ambulance sirens were heard seconds later, Hope pulling Zack into her lap.

"There was a kitty out here… I didn't want it getting hurt." Zack admits without his mother asking why he was out here… at that moment, a small orange tabby with blue eyes walked over and let out a soft mewing sound, resting its left paw on Kylianna's head in concern.

Zack was holding the kitten minutes later as he and Hope were following the ambulance to Salem University Hospital, praying that the hands of time were on the badly injured teen's side.

The trauma center at the hospital was packed with patients, the usual New Year's Eve idiots… Lexie Carver knew it was gonna be another tough shift.

But she didn't know how tough until she saw her fellow co-workers bringing her half sister in on a gurney and Zack, Hope and the kitten following behind.

"What happened?!" Lexie asks Hope.

"Kylianna tried to protect Zack… and got hit instead." Hope says, Lexie trying to fight the tears that fell like waterfalls as she rushed to Kylianna's side and crouched down, stroking the unconscious teen's hair.

"Fight, my little sis… we all need you. Theo needs his aunt, Abe needs his sister in law… I need my sister, Kylianna. Stay with us…" Lexie whispered, kissing Kylianna on her forehead before the paramedics wheeled her off into a trauma room and nurses and doctors began trying to save her.

Lexie heard a mewing noise and turned, now noticing the tabby.

"It showed up at the accident site, rested its paw on her head… almost as if it considered her its mama." Hope says, Zack checking the kitten.

"Zack, what is it kiddo?" Lexie asks.

"It's a boy kitty." Zack says, Lexie and Hope quickly checking.

Lexie walked over to the glass separating her from her little sister, resting her hand on the glass.

' _Fight, kiddo… you saved Zack, now it's your turn to be saved.'_ Lexie thought as she closed her eyes.

All the noise was blocked out as Kylianna opened her eyes… but she soon noticed something was wrong. She was standing straight up, not any sign of injury… and then she looked past the doctors, her brown eyes widening in horror.

' _Am I… dying?!'_ Kylianna thought as three shocks in with the defibrillator, her heart flatlined… she closed her eyes, ready to give in.

"Zack's alive… he's safe, that's all... that matters." Kylianna whispers, ready to let herself slip away… and then it all hit her in flashes, her first steps, her first day of school, the first time she learned to climb the tree in the backyard…

And then future glimpses, one of her first kiss, her first time, her walking down the aisle with Stefano by her side, tears of sadness and happiness in his eyes…

But the last one made Kylianna start tearing up herself… one of her holding her child for the first time.

"No… not this time, death." Kylianna says as her body started glowing pure white…

Kylianna let out a loud gasp for air as her eyes snapped open, the doctors and nurses in pure shock.

She was alive… she wasn't going anywhere anytime soon, not leaving her future unlived.


End file.
